Gas-engine.



PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

J. G. ENNIS. .GAS ENGINE. APPLIOATIOE FILED 1:20.31. 1906.

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PATENTED AUG 20, 1907.

3.. G. ENNIS. GASENGINE. -A..PPLIUATION FILEDDEO. 31' 1906.

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No. 863,838. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

' J. G. ENNIS. GAS- ENGINE.

APPY LIOA TI ON FILED DEO. 31. 1906.

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GAS-ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern: i I

Be it known that I, JQHN G. Enn s, acitizen of the United States, residing at Apponaug, in the town of Warwick, in the county of Kent andState of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines;ot which the following is a specification,reterencebeinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

Thisinvention relates-to a reversing apparatus for engines, and has for its object to provide a set of auxiL iary valves to be attached to an explosive engine where by the flow of gases through its valves into and out of the cylinder may be reversed at a predetermined point in the stroke either by hand or automatically and so reverse the running direction of the engine. t

The ordinary gas engine, particularly of the marine and automobile type, are usually arranged torun always in one direction and when a reverse action is required it is necessary to reverse the rotation of the power transrnitting shaft, which may be accomplished in different Ways, but usually through the, medium of gears. The reversing of the engines' action by means of gears has many objections, among others in high powered engines the reversing mechanism is of grgat weight, is

very expensive to construct and maintain andits action cannot be depended upon. "Myimproved mechanism obviates all of these well known objections and .provides a simple device easy to manipulate and effective in its operation whereby the gas engine may be started to run either forwarder backward or stopped and reversed while running in either direction; similar in its action in this respect, to an ordinary reversing steam engine t v I I It is well known by those skilled in the art pertaining to explosive engines that when the igniting device is shut off and the explosion ceases the engine stops after making one or more revolutions due to its momentum, but on thelast upward stroke of the piston the cushioning of the gas or compression in the cylinder (as itis usually called) prevents the crank from going way over the centerand starts it backward in the opposite diiec tion for a short distance and by the use of my mechan-. ism I utilize this recoil or backward stroke to operate the sparking device at the proper time to explode this compressedgas in the cylinder to drive the piston downward andfrnn the engine in the opposite directiom at the same tlmefoperating the auxiliary valves automatically to supply and exhaust the gases at the proper timefwhile running in this new direction.

The'invention consists of other novel features as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the appended claims.

A practical embodiment oft he invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Application filed December 31, 1906. Serial No. 350,197.

Patented. Aug. 20, 1907.

In the drawings: Figure 1is a side elevation of an explosive engine in section showing a set of auxiliary valves attached thereto with mechanism actuated by the motion of the engine to operate said auxiliary valves .to reverse the flow of gases through the main valves by the recoil or backward stroke of the cngine. Fig. 2- is a rear elevation of the reversing mechanism. Fig. 3is a top view showing the relative position of the reversing cams and dogs. Fig. 4-shows a wiring diagram whereby the reverse action of the engine com pletes a circuit and ignites the charge in the cylinder at the proper time and independent of the regular sparking system, which latter system is subsequently adjusted to do the sparking in the usual way. Fig. 5- is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 through the auxiliary exhaust chamber. and showing the valves thereon. Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 1 through the auxiliary supply chamber showing the valves that control it. Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 1

through the main valve chamber showing both of the sition to be engaged by' said cam on its return stroke to actuate said plate and so reverse the position of the auxiliary valves. Fig. 9 shows said cam in the act of engaging the operating lever. Fig. 10shows the position of the cam after having operated said lever and wrist plate. Fig. 1l-illus trates the arrangement of the cam which is to operate the lever and wrist plate while the engine is moving in the reverse direction to that illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, also showing the wrist plate latch and the connections thereto. Fig. 12- shows said cam in the position just after engaging said operating lever having moved the same upward a short distance to first throw out of engagement the latch with the wrist plate. Fig. 13represents a further upward movement of said cam whereby the wrist plate has been actuated through the operating lever and thrown into position to again reverse the auxiliary valves.

Referring to the drawings the cylinder 1. showntherein is of the ordinary water-cooled four-cycle typeused in the ordinary explosive engine, the same being mounted on the base 2 The usual reciprocating piston 3 in said cylinder is connected to the crank pin 4 by the connecting rod 5. Both of the main valves 6 and 7 serve as alternate inlet and exhaust valves, depending upon the direction of rotation of the main shaft. and said valves are caused to be opened by means'of the carns'8 and 9 through the stems 10 and 11. and are closed by the action-of springs 12 and 13 in the usual way. Bolted to this main valve chamber l] is the auxiliary valve chamber 15 which lattenas is shown in. Fig; 6, is provided with a gas reservoir ltisuppliod through the inlet pipe 17. The gas fronrtl is reservoir I away through the exhaust pipe 28, the opposite valve atthat time of course being closed to prevent the escape of the supplying gas which is being admitted through the" opposite passageway. In orderto operate all of these auxiliary valves at the right time with relation to each other the levers 29 and 30 are pivot-ally mounted on the pin 31 to, operate the valves 24 and 25 through their respective stems and the valves 26 and 27 are also operated through the levers 34 and 35 which are pivotally mounted on the pin 36, levels 2.) and 34 being connected together through the link 37 to operatethe valves 24 and 26 in time with each other. one being opened While the other is being closed. A similar action takes place with valves 25 and 27 through the movement of 'their respective levers which-are linked together at 38.

In-order that all four of these valves shallwork in unison with each other they have been connected through the arm 42 and flexible rod 40 to. the wrist plate 39 where it is pivoted at 46, the other pair being connected through the arm 43, connecting rod 41 and crank 47 to which crank it is pivoted at48. The connections 40 and 41, as best shown in Fig. 2, are made in two parts one sliding within the other being flexibly joined together by means of the spring 44. As above stated both sets of these valves are connected to their respective levers and on opposite sides of the shaft 45. in order to manipulate these valves by hand to open and close them as desired at any point in the stroke of the cylinder. 1

' have provided an operating handle 49 which is fixed to the shaft and by throwing this either up or down each set of the auxiliary valves are operated in opposite diretions to reverse the direction of the flowofthe gases through the main valve into and outot' the cylinder.

and by ign ting the charge at the proper time the mo tion of the engine maybe reversed and continued in I that direction.

It is found in practice that the operation of a reversing device by hand requires a quick action of the operatorat exactly the proper point in the stroke of the piston which requires considerable skill to accom plish.

In order to obviate this difliculty and insure the valves being operated and theigniting to take place at exactly the proper time I have provided an attachment by means of which saidvalves and sparking device will be actuated automatically by the action of the engine itself. In accomplishingthis-purpose a pair of cams 50 and 5t are rotatably mounted on the-shaft 52 which shaft is caused to run in time with the cam shaft 53 by'means oi the gears'54 and 55. These cams are similar in construction one being set to operatewhen working in an oppositedirection to that of. the other, as illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive.

Mounted on the shaft'56 are the two dogs '57 and 58. At 59 is a lever pivoted at 60, the upper end of said lever being adapted to engage a groove6]. in the'hub ofsaid' dog. The lowerend of said lever'-62 extending downward beyond the saidpivoting point.

A hand operating lever 63 is pivoted at 64 and adapted to be moved by the handle '35- to swing on thc segment lilland by the lock {37 be secured to said seg 'ment in any desired posil'ion thereon Both of (hc dogs 57 and 58 are mounted to slide on said shall 56 on a feather key and are held normally outward by meansof spring 68 acting on the respective levcrs 59; 59, which are alike in both cases. Mounted on and fixed to the shaft 513 is the lever (39 which is arranged to engage a slotted portion 70 in an outwardly extending portion Tl of the wrist plate 39 so arranged that whcn cilhcr of the dogs 57 or S arc opcraled in eitherdirection said wrist plate and ihc shah i on which it is mounted will be rolatcd a portion otu revolution. The extension 71 or said plate being normally held in its down position by tho lcnsion oi lhc spring 72. ()n the outer periphery oi' this philc is a notch 73 adapted to be engaged by the pawl .74 which is pivoted at 75 and is under tension ol' the spring 715. ihcrcfore when the cam 60 rotates in the direction oi the arrow. indicated in Fig. 9. il cngagcs ihc outer cud oi the dog 57 und throws the same downward into the position shown in Fig. l0 reversing the position ol' the wrist plate the notch 73 being engaged by the spring actuated pawl 74 to hold the Stlille-lltllllli posit ion.

\lhen thevalvcs arc to bc reversed thc cum 5| is notch73 tlirough the lovers 7S, 7?). 8t) and BI. This first movement (lUt-S not operatc to l'olulc ihc wrist plate 39,-on accountol' the play of thc cngnging pin in th slot 70. untila'l'ter the cam 77 hns'wiihdurwn plate is thrown to the oppcsilc ptsition. us illnslrulcd in Fig. l3. and rctaiued by its spring 72.

Thc wiring of thc dcvicc is bcst illnslrnlcd in Fig. 4. \\'hcn thc lcvcrfli5 is on l.l1("(()lll1l(l plulc S2 lhc connection to the igniting plug 83 is nnulc through wire 84. dog 58. (which is in contact with the pin 85), battery RU. spark coil 87, timer 88: and wire SS), and back to the pivoting point of thc lcvcr by Witt 510. When it is desired to rcversc The engine the lcvcr (i5 is thrown onto the contact plate 91. the action of which placcs the dog 57 iitpcsition lo bicarried down by the action of the engine on its backward strokc lu engage the pin 92 and when this is donethc circuit is completed through the wire 92, dog 57. wire .93

byway of'wirc 89 to the plug 83'. An csscntizil l'ca- Lure of this wiring is thc auxiliary smirking circuit which is operated by a linger 95 on lhc lcvcr 57 coming'ihto' imgagcmcntwith the contact. 96 during tinmotioh of said dog from its up to its down pcsil'ion or vice vcrsa. thereby completing this scparatc and independent circuit tothe plug 83 through the wins 97 and 98,.and insuring the igniting of thc char-go as the piston starts to reverse the motion of the crank.

The opcratior'tof the device may be mcrc l'ully dc- :scribed as tollowsz Let it be supposed that th criginc is running to the left in' the direction indicatml by the latch 74 from its-notch. at'tcr which thc said wrist.

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through the battery 86 and othermcchunisin shown the arrovv'in l, and when itis dcsircd "to rovcisd itsdirectiomandrun to the right the lover (lo is c'ar ricd way over to the right side of thescgment (i6 brcali ingthe circuit and shutting'off 'the sparking device;-

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rotated 'in'tho direction of thc arrow. as illustralcd in Fig. l2, engaging the outer end ottho dog ihc lilsfij upward motion of which rotatcs tlic small cam 77 and causes the samc to withdraw ilic latch 74v iron) its:

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engaging the lever (32 and throwing the dog 57 into position to be engaged by the cam 5t) and said lever secured in that position. Owing to the momentum of the moving parts the engine will naturally continue one or more revolutions, but on the last upward stroke of the piston the compression prevents the crank from again going over the center and the recoil or rebound starts it back for av short distance in the opposite direction. This short backward stroke on account of the previous setting of the handle causes the cam' 50 to engage the dog 57 and throw the same dowmvard into the position illustrated in Figs. .1 and 10 and at the monn1nt of changing this dog the charge. is ignited through the independent circuit and the piston driven downward, thus starting the engine to run in this reverse direction. Alter having received its lirst im pulse its permanent cii hit is completed by the engagement ol the dog 57 with pin 92 and its connecting wires and the timing mechanism may thcn'be adjusted to regulate t'-c point ol' ignition as desired. When it is wanted to reverse the engine and to again run it to the left the handle is carried way over to the left, of the segment and the operation of the parts as above described is reversed. To stop the engine completely the lever 65 is carried toa central position between the two levers. When the engine is at rest it may be started. in either direction by first set ting the handle in the required position and then starting in the ,usual way.

My improved reversing apparatus may be readily attached to and operated on anyol? the four-cycle engines new in the market. It is simple in its construction, occupies but very little space, is easily handled and is positive in its action. By the application of thisdevice the gas engine maybe'as readily reversed as the steam engine.

I have showna set of auxiliary valvcs adapted to control the direction'oi the flow of gases both into and is not restricted to. the construction shown or'the arrangement of parts described, or to the various details thereof as the same may be modified or rte-arranged in various particulars without departing irom the spirit and scope of my invention, the'broad feature of which being a set of auxiliary valves operated either by hand or automatically to reverse the engine, one practical embodiment of which has been herein illustratedand. described without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which my invention might be embodied.

Having thus described invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder, a piston working therein. a crank shaft operated by said piston, valves'for controlling the flowof'explosive gases to said cylinder. means for reversing said valves and simultanc-' working therein, a crank shaft operated by said piston,

valves for controlling the flow of explosive ":lsi.\ to said cylinder, means for causing the colllprcss'ion in said cyl inder to start the crank shaft in a reverse direction. and

means operated by the reverse movement of said cl'unk shaft for reversing said valves and simultaneously innilill;

the gases in said cylinder.

3. An explosive engine comprising :1 cylinder. :1 piston working therein. a crank shaft operated by said piston. muin valves acting altcrnutely as supply and 'exhanst according to the direction of rotation of said crank shul't. auxiliary valyes' for controlling the lhhv of gases through said main valves, and means for reversing snid auxiliary vci ves and sinmllaneonsly igniting the cases in said cyt inder. whereby said crank shaft" is rotated in the opposite direct ion.

-l. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder. a piston \vorkiiru,- therein. a crank shaft operated by said piston, an auxiliary valve chnmhcr hnving'a gas reservoir. passageways leading from said reservoir to said cylinder. main valves controlling admission 'of'gas to said cylinder, :n|.\'il. iary valves controlling; admission or gases from the rcser voir to the passage ways. menus for causing the compression in the cylinder to start" said crank shaft in a reverse direction, and means opt-ruled by lhe reversc niovcimuil of said crank shaft for reversing said auxiliary valves and simultaneously igniting the gases in said cylinder.

An explosive enginecomprising :1 cylinder. n piston working therein. a crank shul'l operated by snidpistou, an auxiliary valve chamber having a gas reservoir, passage ways leading from said reservoir to said cylinder, main valves controlling the admission of gas lo said cylinder, auxiliary valves controlling: admission of gflStS from the reservoir to the passage \vnys, auxiliary exhaust valves.

. means for causing the compression in the cylinder to start the crank shaft. in a reverse (lll'0 ll(lll,}llltl menus operated byjthe reverse movement of the crank shaft. for reversing said auxiliaryadmission and exhaust valves, and simultaneously igniting the gases in said cylinder.

6. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder, :1 piston working t lierein, a crank shaft; valves for controlling the flow of gases to said cylinder. mearf's for causing-the conr pression'in 'said cylinder to reverse said crank shaft. a wrist: plate for operating said valves, and means operated by the reversal of said crank shaft for shifting said wrist plate to reverse said valves. 7 v

7. An explosive engine comprising :1 cylinder, a piston working therein, a crank shaft, valves for controlling the flow of gases to said cylinder, means for causing the compression in said cylinder to reverse said crank shult'. a wrist plate for operating said valves, and means opiu'aled by the reversal of said crank shaft for shifting said wrist plate to reverse said valves and simultaneously igniting the gases in said cylinder..

"8; An explosive engine comprising a cylinder. a pistoir working, therein, a crank shaft, viilves for controlling the flow of gases to said cylinder, auxiliary valves for regulating the supply 0t gnses,'means for causing the compression in said cylinder to rever said crank shaft. a \vristplate for operating said auxiliary vnlves,':1nd means operated by the reversal of said crank shaft for shifting said wrist plate to reverse said auxiliary valves.

9. An explosive engine comprising a'cylindcr, a piston working therein, a crank shaft operated by said piston. main valves controlling the admission of gases to said cylinder, auxiliary supply and exhaust valves, menus for causing the compression in said cylinder to reverse said crank shaft, a wrist plate for opori1ting said auxiliary valves, and means operated by the reversal of said crank shaft for shifting said wrist plate to reverse s:li(l-:lIlXilinry valves.

10. An explosive engine couiprisinn' a cylinder, :1. piston working therein, a crank shaft operated by said piston, main valves controlling the admission of gases to said cylinder. auxiliary supply and exhaust. valves, menus for causing the compression in the cylinder to reverse lhc rotation of said crank shaft, a wrist plate for operating 11. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder, a piston' I working therein. a crank shaft operated by said piston, valves controlling the supply of gases, means. for causing the compressionin said cylinder to reverse the rotation of said crank shalt, a wrist plate for operating said valves,

a cam operated to said crank shaft, means for rocking said wrist plate, means for causing the cam to actuate the'wrist plate rocking means and simultaneously causing the compression in the cylinder to reverse said crank shaft.

12. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder, :1 piston working thereim z crank shaft operated by said piston, vahies controlling the supply of gases, at wrist plate for operating said valves. a cam operated by said crank shaft. and provided with oppositely disposed cam faces, a .rock shaft for operating said wrist plate, arms on said-rock shaft, means for shifting-said arms to alternately engage one or the other of said cam faces and simultaneously causing the compression in the cylinder to reverse said I crank shaft.

13. An'explosive engine comprising a cylinder, a piston working therein. a crank shaftrpcral'ed by said piston, valves conti'olling 'the supply of gases, a wrist plate-for operating said valves. a cam operated by said crank shaft and provided with oppositely disposed cam faces, a rock shaft for operating said wrist plate, arms on said rock shaft, means for shifting said arms to aitei tely engage one or the other of said cam faces and sianltaneously causing the compression in the cylinder to reverse said crank shaft, and means for simultaneously causing an explosion of the 'gases in said cylinder.

14. An explosive-engine comprising a cylinder, :1 piston working therein, a crank shaft operated by said piston, valves controlling the supply of gases, a'spring' held wrist plate controlling said valves, means for causing' the compression in the cylinder to reverse said crank shaft, means operated by the reversal of said crank-shaft to sh'ift said wrist plate, and means for temporarily locking, said wrist pinto. I p

15. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder; a piston 40 'l v'orkiiig therein, a crankshaftoperated by said .piston,

valves controlling thesupply of gases, a spring held wrist plate controlling said valves, means for causing the compression in the cylinder to reverse said crank shaft, means operated by the reversal of saidcrank shaft to shift said wrist plate, means for temporarily, locking .said' wrist plate, and means for automatically releasingsaid wrist plate when said crank shaft is again reversed. 16. An explosive engine comprising a inder, two main valves to said cylinder a pair of auxiliary valves to each of said main valves, means for connecting both, pairs of said auxiliary valves to work in unison a wrist plate connected tosaid auxiliary valves and .a cam actuated by the recoil of the piston, and means operated by said cam for shifting' said wrist plate to reverse the position or the said aux; iliary valves and run the engine in the opposite direction. 7 17. An explosive engine comprising a cylinder, valves ior controlling the inlet and outlet to said cylinder, a

wrist plate a cam actuated by the recoil of the piston, and means operated -l)y said cam for shifting said wrist plate to reverse the flow of gases through said valves and simultaneously explode gases in said cylinder to run the engine in the opposite direction. l i

18. An explosive engine comprising acylinder, two main valves to said cylinder, :1 pair of auxiliary valves to" each of said main valves, means for connecting both pairs of said auxiliary valves" to work in unison, a cam actuated by the recoil of the piston, a wrist plate for operating said auxiliary valves. a dot, operatedby said cam for shifting said wrist plate to reverse. the positions of said :auxiliary valves and means for moving 'said gagement with said cam. I

20'. The combination with an explosive engineprovided -witha crank shaft, of means forreversing the direction vof rotation ofsaid shaft, said means including two sparking circuits, 2., reversing lever electrically connected with both circuits, and means controlled by said lcver'fdr closing one of said circuits as the other'is opened. whereby the ensuing explosion will drive-said crank shaft lira re verse-direction 21. The combination with an'explosive engine provided with a crankshaft, of means for reversing the d ection of flotation of said shaft, said means incln'ding two' sparking circuits, 'a-lever electrically connected with both of said circuits, andmautomatically operated reversing means con- Y trolled by said: lever for ignitiately after shifting..said levenand said crankshaft is'rve'rsed." p I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses I H l 1 JOH G. ENNIS.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN;

doginto and out of enre temporarily open, whereby I 

